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Organ donation week

Organ Donation Week starts today and the Royal Free London would like to encourage all of our staff and patients to join the organ donor register – and to tell family and friends about that decision.

Last year the Royal Free London became the first large organisation in the country to pledge to encourage its staff to sign the organ donor register. During the induction programme new staff are now asked to think about joining the register and to talk about their decision with their families.

Every day across the UK, three people in need of a transplant die because there aren’t enough organs to go around. The Royal Free Hospital is one of the UK’s largest centres for liver and kidney transplants and staff here carry out more than 200 transplant operations every year.

Neal Banga, a kidney transplant surgeon at the Royal Free Hospital, said it is vital for people who have joined the organ donor register to tell their families about that decision.

“If you die in circumstances where you could become an organ donor, specialist nurses would ask your family to support your decision to donate,” he said.

“Less than half of families agree to organ donation if they aren’t aware of their relative’s decision to be a donor. But approximately 90% of families do give their consent when they are aware. During an emotional and difficult time, knowing about your decision would make it much easier for them to support your wishes.”

If you would like to join the organ donor register visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. Share your decision with your friends, using the hashtag #YesIDonate.

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Image: Transplant surgeon Neal Banga

Notes to editors

The Royal Free began as a pioneering organisation and continues to play a leading role in the care of patients. Our mission is to provide world class expertise and local care. In the 21st century, the Royal Free London continues to lead improvements in healthcare.

The Royal Free London attracts patients from across the country and beyond to its specialist services in liver and kidney transplantation, haemophilia, renal care, HIV, infectious diseases, plastic surgery, immunology, Parkinson's disease, vascular surgery, cardiology, amyloidosis and scleroderma and we are a member of the academic health science partnership UCLPartners.